A three percent increase to the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union bond revenue fee was presented to the Student Senate during Wednesday’s meeting.

“I really despise fee increases,” Student Senate Member Isaac Sandidge said. “I try to be skeptical with things like this, but I really don’t think this one is a bad idea.”

The senate will vote next week to support or oppose the increase, and the suggestion will be sent to the Board of Trustees. The fee does not increase or decrease depending on the senate’s consensus, but a vote determines the organization’s opinion that will be presented to the board.

Ted Hart, assistant director of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, said the majority of the nearly $50,000 increase would be applied toward the increase in minimum wage and inflated utility rates.

“I think it’s definitely reasonable due to all the increases they’re experiencing,” said Student Senate Member Tyson Holder. “Paying for the new minimum wage will cost nearly $34,000. It could have been at least six or seven percent and it was very fair for them to make it three percent.”

Hart said nearly 10,000 events are in the union each year and that he has trimmed the budget numerous times to make departmental work more efficient. Other measures such as installing motion detecting lighting systems were installed to reduce utility bills, Hart said.

Approximately 27 percent of the department’s income comes from the fee increase that the senate will vote on next week.

The Apportionment Board fee budget was also supposed to be presented on Wednesday, but the four organizations did not attend the meeting.

“Due to miscommunications, the boards are not here to present their budgets,” said Leah Pietraszewski, AB chair and student vice president for business affairs. “Due to the organizational structure, I take full responsibility for this.”

She said her homework and student government obligations conflicted and, consequently, an email notifying the boards about the presentation was not sent out in time.

AB members criticized Student Body President Cole Rogers and Student Senate Speaker Megan Ogulnick for not attending the March 20 budget meeting. The Student Government additional requests of about $8,226 were removed during that meeting, but Pietraszewski said the cut was not a consequence of their absence.

The resolution to approve AB’s $535,000 budget allocations was tabled until next week and Pietraszewski said the boards would present their budget allocations then.

Rick Kambic can be reached at 581-7942 or at rwkambic@eiu.edu.

Ted Hart, associate director of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, explains the proposed budget increases for the Fall 2008 semester to the Student Senate in the Arcola/Tuscola Room in the Union on Wednesday. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)

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